Back in September, I went on a highfalutin jaunt to Paris with some friends, and while there, we had lunch at a cozy, New York Times-recommended bistro called Chez Michel. The meal was delicious — some of the best mussels I’ve ever had — but nothing could prepare me for the cheese plate I had ordered for dessert. Turns out the plate was less a of plate and more of a miniature fromagerie. No dainty slices of brie here — just giant blocks of cheese. It could have fed ten people. We were all so shocked when this leviathan offering of dairy products descended on the table that I immediately whipped out my camera and snapped a quick photo.
Little did I realize this offhand pic would soon become the toast of the Internet. Okay, maybe that’s an overstatement. It’s only been viewed twenty times. BUT I was most honored when the editors of the online travel resource Schmap contacted me about using the photo in their latest Paris guide. I’m not going to lie: I was floored, and I don’t even know why. It’s cool and everything, but when I received the email, I literally felt like I had been nominated for an Academy Award. I think it’s because it was like two in the morning, and I was tired and/or delirious. Nevertheless, I’ve since come down from my Schmap-induced high, but I remain quite flattered that the editors saw artistry (or at least functionality) in my pic. To check out the photo in all its Schmappy context, click here.
Oh, and as for the cheese, it was quite tasty. We quickly deduced that it was indeed a traveling plate, meant for consumption by multiple tables. Probably not the most sanitary of practices, but oh so very European!
• Chez Michel [Schmap!! Paris]
TV. Food. Pop Culture.